Chapter 77
Kraush finally arrived at the carriage area.
There was Pendal, his chest nearly obliterated, and in front of him, Olivia, the White Mage, was sobbing uncontrollably while pouring healing magic over him.
Next to her stood Lakradiyon, her head bowed, and Soldrik, the deputy commander, biting his lip tight, holding back his emotions.
It was only when Lakradiyon sensed Kraush’s presence that she lifted her head.
“…Kraush, you’re safe.”
“Yeah.”
She spoke with trembling eyes. Kraush responded nonchalantly, glancing at Crimson Garden beside him.
“What happened?”
He then whispered just loud enough for Crimson Garden to hear.
[The clone’s attack hit Pendal instead of Lakradiyon, who was immobilized. After that, you guys sent the Armed Princess away, and all the clones collapsed. That’s the current situation.]
Upon hearing that, Kraush’s eyes widened.
‘Pendal sacrificed himself?’
He remembered Pendal from before his regression. He’d lived like a spoiled brat of the Demon Palace, getting into all sorts of trouble.
Kraush knew firsthand what kind of troublemaker Pendal was.
After all, Pendal had been a significant obstacle for Kraush too.
‘But he saved Lakradiyon?’
For a moment, Kraush was lost in confusion.
“Lak, go ahead.”
Calling her by her old nickname, he pushed her toward a healing potion.
She silently accepted the potion, momentarily reminded of Kai, the former team leader of Icarus.
But there wasn’t time to dwell on memories.
“Pendal.”
“…I-I was supposed to get to you. It’s not like I wanted to hold onto it…”
Pendal struggled to speak.
“Captain, stop talking!”
Olivia shouted, but Pendal seemed unfazed. Instead, he gazed intently at Lakradiyon with dying eyes.
“I’ll take over.”
Lakradiyon prioritized his feelings over questioning why he had saved her, bowing her head.
Pendal seemed satisfied with that and turned to Kraush.
“Valheim bloodline…”
With a shaky laugh, he let out a faint breath.
“Sorry for… h-holding back.”
Blood started spilling from Pendal’s lips, running down his chin.
Hearing Pendal’s apology, Kraush slowly brushed his forehead.
He had seen way too many deaths.
From wars between humans to the battles against the World Eroder, not to mention the countless lives lost during the great erosion that ravaged the world.
Among them were those he had formed some bonds with.
In this fallen world, the only ones who remained were Arthur, himself, and those three.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say Kraush had witnessed everyone’s death.
“Lakran, defeat Lakseon.”
But seeing Pendal’s death, the emotions Kraush felt now were different from anything he had experienced before.
Kraush had no particular attachment to Pendal.
If anything, he was more of an enemy than anything else.
Pendal hadn’t even been a fleeting relationship for Kraush.
The current Kraush was feeling something for Pendal he hadn’t anticipated.
The answer was simple.
‘What’s with being so hung up on this just because I regressed?’
Kraush felt a profound sense of pity toward himself.
Just a fleeting relationship.
How foolish it was to define someone and act based on what he had seen once.
People constantly change with time.
Wasn’t he the one who knew that best, having wasted so much time lamenting his life and cursing the world?
‘Making judgments based on flimsy assumptions…’
Kraush ground his teeth at that thought.
At this rate, he would be no different from Arthur.
Arthur, who had experienced far more iterations than himself, had failed to save the world from destruction time and again, ultimately losing the chance to regress to Kraush.
It was all because Arthur had thought Kraush would stagnate, seeing him during those many timelines.
Arthur had made a conclusion.
Kraush’s skills could only steal curses or the like, but it would be difficult to steal unique abilities.
Thus, he had let his guard down in front of Kraush, revealing the existence of the regression skill.
Completely unaware of the consequences it might bring.
‘In that regard…’
Kraush was judging Pendal through his memories from before the regression, reaching his conclusions.
And because of that, he felt angry with himself.
Unlike Arthur, his regression was only once.
Whether a second regression was even possible was unknown.
He didn’t have the power to control his regression directly.
If he couldn’t prevent destruction in this iteration, it would truly be the end.
Kraush genuinely believed that, pouring in all his strength.
‘To protect this damn world.’
He needed to kick this habit of relying solely on regression.
People change countless times.
Kraush knew that through his own experiences and had clearly realized it through the connections he made after regressing, like with Bianca.
He would never forget this truth.
“Pendal.”
So, Kraush spoke to Pendal.
“I came into the Demon Palace with you all today.”
Pendal listened in silence, knowing what it meant.
“And together, we’ll defeat Lakseon and open the ninth floor.”
“Hah…”
Pendal let out a short sound before swallowing his laughter.
“A noble and honorable thing to say…”
Though laced with sarcasm, his smile seemed to reflect a deeply peaceful acceptance of death.
With that, Pendal’s eyes closed.
“Captain! Captain! Captain!”
Olivia shouted Pendal’s name like a scream.
But despite her cries, Pendal’s body no longer moved.
“Olivia.”
At the moment she burst into tears, Soldrik wrapped his arms around her.
“Let’s let him go.”
“Wahhh, sniff…”
As she wept in his embrace, Kraush turned to Lakradiyon.
Then Lakradiyon stood, ready to speak.
“Kraush Valheim.”
At that moment, Soldrik called out to Kraush.
“It’s all my fault for obstructing your path. I should have given orders…”
“Enough.”
In the end, it was true that they’d gained time to respond to the Armed Princess.
“Take care of Pendal.”
Kraush said that and turned, starting to walk away.
As he discreetly raised his hand to the three of them, a faint spark flickered.
‘Reinor.’
It was none other than Pendal’s skill.
In his final moment, Kraush had snatched Pendal’s Reinor through his black hood.
[You will be recognized as a worthy rival.]
The second dial had been released, revealing the third dial.
[You will inherit Pendal’s legacy.]
For that dial, Kraush uttered his last words to Pendal.
Thanks to that, he managed to steal Reinor along with the released dial.
‘Call it petty if you want.’
There seemed no alternative to stopping the obliteration of the world but to snatch what was necessary.
That had been his determination since the day he first regressed, to claw his way to the top and prevent destruction by any means.
So Kraush stole Pendal’s Reinor.
‘At the very least…’
He wouldn’t let it be in vain.
*
Lakseon.
In the front room of the carriage area on the eighth floor, he sat alone.
Once a conqueror of the Demon Palace, he was now the unfortunate man swallowed by it.
Kraush stood before the last doorway, ready to take him down.
Having spent a day resting and recharging in the carriage, Kraush lightly wielded his sword to warm up.
Was it the lingering aftereffects of the battle with the Armed Princess?
His body still ached here and there, but thanks to the characteristics of the World Retainer, he was recovering faster than usual.
At this pace, he might not be able to defeat Lakseon.
But he was feeling alright now.
Because he had obtained Pendal’s Reinor.
Having stealthily tested it yesterday without others noticing, Kraush was confident that this would enable him to defeat Lakseon.
“Lakradiyon, are you ready?”
“Yes, I can depart at any time.”
Hearing Lakradiyon’s answer, Kraush nodded.
“Let’s go.”
With that, he raised his hand and pushed the door open.
Creek—
The sound of rusty hinges creaked as Kraush’s eyes fell upon the rocketing carriage compartment.
This carriage area was different from the others.
The seats were empty, and the wooden floor had scars, cracked in several places.
But the most peculiar detail was that there was only one door.
In front of that door sat an old man holding a long sword inside a sheath.
Resembling wood carved from a lightning-struck tree, the sword had a black background with streaks of lightning etched upon it—this was Reinor.
Lakseon.
He had continuously guarded the entrance to the ninth floor.
Now, the old man with snow-white brows sat there, waiting.
Creek, thud—
Kraush observed Lakseon and, seeing that Lakradiyon had entered, closed the carriage door.
At that moment, Lakseon’s shoulders twitched.
Simultaneously, his body began to rise with a lumbering sound.
It had been so long since he had last moved; the noise resembled bones being reassembled.
And that sound echoed the absence of many who had ventured into the eighth floor for quite some time.
The moment Lakseon stood, his eyes glowed red.
“Lakradiyon, you understand, don’t you?”
Looking at Lakseon, Kraush called out to Lakradiyon.
He had already explained to her how to defeat Lakseon.
While Kraush burned the entire carriage down with Ignis, Lakradiyon was to endure the fight with Lakseon.
That would be her role.
Thus, she unsheathed her sword and stood before Kraush.
“Yes.”
With those words, Lakseon drew his Reinor.
Yet, the blade had no edge.
The empty blade raised questions for any observer.
No edge meant the sword could barely fulfill its function.
But in that instant, Reinor proved why it was one of the ten legendary swords, as golden light surged from its hilt.
Boom!
As thunder erupted, the blazing golden light exuded enough force to alter the atmosphere around them.
At the very moment that golden light compressed.
A shimmering golden blade manifested, revealing its sharpness and glimmering aura.
A sword that amplified the wielder’s aura to generate a blade.
Reinor.
Depending on who wielded it, Reinor could become the greatest sword that could cut anything or the worst sword that couldn’t cut at all.
Thus, swordsmen would all agree on one thing.
If the world’s greatest swordsman chose a sword, it would best suit Reinor.
And that was precisely why Kraush had done everything in his power to prevent the sword from falling into the hands of Lakseon.
Boom!
Now meeting Lakseon, Reinor glimmered with radiant golden light.
The overwhelming brilliance visibly intimidated Lakradiyon.
Because that golden light illustrated Lakseon’s abilities.
“Here it comes.”
In that brief moment of assessment from Kraush, when Lakradiyon hurriedly lifted her sword, Lakseon was already upon them.
Clang!
Just as Lakseon took a step, Lakradiyon moved her Okcheon to block Reinor.
But the force from Lakseon’s attack sent Lakradiyon stumbling.
Despite being an old man, Lakseon’s strength was on a whole different level.
A realization hit her.
Now she understood why Icarus had crumbled before Lakseon, and why Kai, the team leader of Icarus, had faced death holding back so they could escape.
tzzz!
At that moment, hearing the sound of flames erupting behind her, Lakradiyon gasped.
Kraush was starting to burn the carriage with the black flames he’d unleashed from his sword.
Lakseon’s gaze shifted towards the back.
He had noticed Kraush’s unusual actions as well.
But Lakradiyon immediately positioned herself in front of Kraush, as if to shield him.
‘My role is to buy time.’
She had fled once, but now she was determined to show it’d be different this time.
“Come.”
As Lakradiyon’s words echoed, she and Lakseon clashed.
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